I read The Girls for a book club recently and was less than impressed. (It was miserable.) The Singing Bone is a huge step up. Interestingly, they're more or less the same story-- sort of cheap knock-offs of the Manson family. Hahn's take is more thorough, well-parsed, and compelling. Some of the threads that make it interesting, folklore woven throughout, aren't fully completed. The book would have been stronger if it was slightly more rounded out, but it was ultimately an interesting read.

In the 1979 Alice and her three friends start living with Jack Wyck, a charismatic cult guy in the woods. 20 years later a documentary film maker starts making a film about Wyck and the events in the 70’s and starts trying to track Alice down. Alice, now a professor of Folklore, is forced to confront the horrors of her time with Wyck, her memories of that time, and the fallout of the documentary.

The description of this book makes it sound like it’s going to be a suspense thriller, but it’s not. I found the book creepy and atmospheric, and while I enjoyed the book nothing about it really shocked me. It’s a slow burning book, but the addition of the folklore aspect was interesting to me as well as the documentary aspect. I enjoyed Hahn’s writing but I wish this book had a bit more too it and grabbed my attention more. I did find the characters a bit flat at times and at some points I feel like the dual timeline got away from her a bit. This book does have an open ending so if that really bothers you I wouldn’t suggest this but if you like slow burns that have a creepy atmosphere I think it’s worth a read.

This was a dark and suspenseful read. The story is told very slow, you get to know all the characters and the author also gives us some time to understand how and why these four bright young people fell for Jack Wyck. It’s still hard to understand but I almost got it. It’s also a book about friendship and guilt and forgiveness.

Alice, Molly, Trina and Stover are close friends since they were kids. Trina somehow comes along with a new boyfriend, Lee, and Jack and Allegra, two adults. Jack is almost twice their age. It’ 1979 and Jack and Allegra seems so different to the average people in their small home town. With the help of drugs, alcohol and sex they caught their interest and soon the four move into his filthy house in the woods, were they pretend to be a “family”. Jack is charismatic and offers a strange philosophy. But it all ended in a nightmare.

The story springs back and forth between 1979 and 1999. Alice is now a professor of folklore. Hans, a documentary film maker wants to make a film about Jack Wyck, who is still in prison. Hans contacts Alice, and soon she has to make up with her past and her part in the murders that happened.

The book takes its time. The story develops slowly. Little by little you learn what happened, who was killed and who did it. It’s a very dark and complex story. It’s frightening and also, at the end, hopeful.

I enjoyed this book, Maybe it was a bit too slow and too long. But I admire the great story, it’s development. I am glad I got a chance to read this exceptional book..

I want to thank Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for a honest review

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